virus: comparing memes with *real* viruses

FallAwake@aol.com
Fri, 5 Jun 1998 01:24:29 EDT


i dunno where the hell the subject came from for this. i have a cold and im
wonderring how much crappier life could be with AIDS or cancer instead of just
a cold. theres a problem with comparing memes (viruses of the mind) with
sicknesses (viruses of the body). the problem being that people *usually*
dont want to have a sickness and when they are infected they will do anything
they can to get rid of it (i say usually cuz maybe there are some sick shits
out there who like being sick, sadists say "I"). but people actually help
spread memes (actively, opposed to just passively) when they are infected and
do nothing to get rid of the meme.

ok enough of why we cant compare viruses and memes and now let me do it!

what makes a meme allergy worse than another? is it because it is an epidemic
(a lot of people have been infected), because it has harsh effects on a person
who is infected, because it spreads so rapidly and effectively or because it
always come back, like this goddamn cold (a little digression, i love saying
goddamn on this list...)
i think the worst illnesses are the ones with the worst reactions that always
come back (like stomach aches... no one likes puking, forgive me belimics
(sp?), and we all get them once a year)

i think the worst memes are the exact same, bad reactions and always come
back. one example is homophobia. in the 8th grade i just got out of (last
day was today! me is happy) i heard more people calling others faggots and
homos more than anything else. its almost sad. it never goes away and it
such a harsh reaction. unlike viruses where people dont like the effects,
kids laugh at the effects of the meme.

that meme is easily compaired to the common cold. wide spread, annoying
effects, and always comes back.

then what does AIDS compare to. i'd say the ultra orthodox fundamentalists
(place religion here). the effect of AIDS (dying) would then be compared to
killing in the name of (place deity of previous religion) (this seems like
memetic adlibs..... oh shit thats a good idea!)

what do you want to cure today? (microsoft pun inteded, some say "haha")
AIDS or the common cold. i dunno the real numbers but i think more people
have gotten common colds throughout time than have gotten AIDS. (however i do
know many fake numbers such as the square root of -2...)
it seems to me like this list is a bunch of people who really wanna say there
2cents against religions (AIDS) cuz i see more about that meme-form than i do
about the common cold.

~the great tinkerer

"WE'RE SO POOR WE CAN'T EVEN PAY ATTENTION" - Dogma, KMFDM
lyrix here - http://www.kmfdm.net/page/lyrarchive.html